Two workshops to be held Tuesday, April 7
Does your physician know what medical treatment you want – and don’t want – in the event that you’re in an accident or diagnosed with a terminal illness? Does your family know your wishes?

Five Wishes is a living will that makes your wishes known. It’s user-friendly and straightforward to complete, and it meets the legal requirements for living wills in 42 states, including Washington.
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is conducting Five Wishes workshops to give you an opportunity to go through the Five Wishes booklet and learn how to complete it.

Two workshops will be held on Tuesday, April 7, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and from 12-1 p.m. in the Memorial Auditorium, located in the lower level of the hospital at 2811 Tieton Drive, Yakima.
For more information, visit Memorial’s calendar of events online at yakimamemorial.org.
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Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is offering a grief recovery workshop for anyone dealing with a loss such as a death, divorce, loss of relationship or identity.

The course is centered around personal discovery, with homework-style exercises designed to help you focus on grief recovery.

The workshop will run for eight consecutive Thursdays. The first class is Thursday, April 2, from 5:15-6:30 p.m. at Cottage in the Meadow hospice home, located at 1208 S. 48th Ave. in Yakima. The cost is $20, payable on the first day of class. That covers the course, book and materials.

So, you’ve spent the winter months curled up on the couch watching television. Now, you’re ready to get outside and start exercising.

Jeff Yamada, Memorial Vice President and Chief Information Officer, started running a few years ago and now is an avid marathoner. He’s here today to offer tips for getting started – a couch to 5K plan – and Joel Buffum of Memorial Sports Medicine Advantage has some reminders for avoiding injuries.

What are the benefits of a couch to 5K plan?

Daily exercise – lose weight, gain energy

Eating healthy whole foods – food as fuel

Find a friend or group – meeting new friends, go to new places

Have fun!

Jeff’s tips: Find your motivation. Pick a goal and sign up for a race. Keep it consistent and keep it fun.

How to avoid injury:

It’s best to follow FITT principles: Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type.

If you’re not familiar with running a 5k start by loading up endurance to activity with walking a 5k, and gradually introducing running to the load.

The actual movement of running is more ballistic that walking so make sure to integrate strengthening/stretching techniques of the ankle, knee and hip to prevent compensations. Stretch before and after each run.

Don’t push too hard; let yourself recover. If you are intentionally pushing yourself hard on Monday, be aware that it isn’t realistic to push yourself equally hard or harder on Tuesday. Mix up your intensities/times to prevent injury and stagnation.

Are their special shoes you to buy?

There are hundreds of different athletic shoes, with many different purposes, made by people with different perspectives on purpose. If you goal is to run, purchase a stable running shoe for your needs. “Cool” shoes aren’t always good running shoes. Consult an expert if you can’t find what you need.

But take care of your feet! A hot spot is a blister waiting for you to look the other way. Blisters make running NOT FUN!

What’s the biggest mistake people make?

People need to know their limitations.

A perfect running gait is as rare as a perfect swing/pitch/lift/etc. Train to the limits of your current abilities, with a structured training program, and use the proper tools that work for you. Pushing yourself as hard as possible while developing compensations may allow you to get an extra mile in today, but in the long term can lead to overuse injuries, and then you end up with me. (Joel)

Remember to hydrate! And remember, no matter how slow you go, you’re lapping everyone on the couch.

The world of nutrition can be a confusing one. There are new studies with new results all of the time. It can be hard to decide what the right thing to eat is or who to trust. And there are many people anxious to help you with those choices. How do you know what to do? I thought it might be helpful to start with what the letters that follow a person’s name.

I listed “my letters” above and will explain them all. The first, RDN, stands for “registered dietitian nutritionist.” Many “registered dietitians” (RDs) have started to add the N at the end because the word “dietitian” can be limiting or confusing. But, if it says either RD or RDN that means the person is a health professional who has university qualifications consisting of a 4-year Bachelor Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or a 3-year Science Degree followed by a Master Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, including a certain period of practical training in different hospital and community settings (in the U.S. 1200 hours of supervised practice are required in different areas). They must meet national standards for professional legislation which includes passing a comprehensive exam and obtaining continuing education requirements.

The CSO after my name means I am a “certified specialist in oncology.” This means I have practiced a minimum of 2000 hours in the field of oncology nutrition in the past 5 years and have passed a rigorous exam. This exam must be retaken every 5 years to ensure the CSO remains current in the ever-changing field of oncology nutrition.

The CD after my name stands for “certified dietitian.” This simply means that the state of Washington has reviewed my qualifications and found they meet current standards. This is a credential that must be annually renewed.

The term “nutritionist” is harder to pin down. A “nutritionist” is a non-accredited title that may apply to somebody who has a PhD in Nutrition or to someone who has given themselves the title and to something in between. The term “nutritionist” is not protected by law in almost all countries, so people with different levels of knowledge can call themselves a “nutritionist.” It does not necessarily mean the person is uneducated or a “quack” or they are supplying inaccurate information. It just means it is up to you to make certain the person you are consulting is a qualified health professional and has the expertise. This task is much more difficult when the person does not have an accredited title.

Of course, all the letters in the world are not a 100% guarantee of the perfect health professional for your needs. You still need to investigate them carefully and make sure you understand any advice given to you. But, I hope the above information helps you make an informed decision in the interesting world of nutrition.

Memorial Family of Services is joining with KCTS9 in Seattle to host a preview screening of the film, “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” on Tuesday, March. 24. This three-part, six-hour television miniseries is presented by preeminent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and directed by award-winning filmmaker Barak Goodman. The March 24 event offers a sneak peak into the film, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.

What can you tell us about the film?

The film is based on the Pulitzer prize-winning book, “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer,” by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee. Mukherjee is an assistant professor of Medicine for Hematology and Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center. He has said in interviews that he was compelled to write the book when a patient asked, “What is it that I’m fighting?”

This book really is a history of cancer:

from the ancient Greeks who believed cancer was a “black bile” in the body

to the 1950s, when a woman couldn’t place an advertisement in The New York Times for a breast cancer survivors group because it used the words “breast” and “cancer;” instead, the newspaper suggested they refer to it as “diseases of the chest wall”

to the research and clinical trials that are being done today

The film shares some of that history, but also personal stories of the scientists who made cancer research their mission, as well as those of cancer survivors and caregivers. It’s the most comprehensive documentary on a single disease ever made.

We will be hosting a 40-minute preview screening of the film at The Seasons Performance Hall, 101 N. Naches Ave. in Yakima. Following the film screening, we will hold a panel discussion featuring a medical oncologist, Dr. Vicky Jones, a local cancer survivor and a local caregiver – a gentleman whose wife has cancer.

What is the goal of this event?

We view this community event as an opportunity to foster discussion about cancer. It’s an opportunity to put aside the superstitions and the myths and the fears about cancer and talk about where we are with the disease today and where we’re going.

Our goal, first and foremost, is to educate everyone about cancer. At some point in our lives, we are all likely to be touched by this disease – either to be diagnosed with it ourselves or to have someone we know and love touched by it.

This event presents a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the film, which will be airing on KCTS9 over three evenings – March 30, 31 and April 1 – as well as learn from and participate in discussion about cancer care from people who experience it firsthand.

Do I need to register for this event?

This event is free and open to the public. Space is available first come, first serve. Registration is not required, but we are asking people to RSVP on our Eventbrite page. You can reach it at yakimamemorial.org/PBSevent.

For more information about the film and to see personal stories from the filmmakers, cancer researchers, cancer survivors and caregivers for loved ones who have had the disease, visit cancerfilms.org.

Ken Burns documentary based on best-selling book, serves as biography on cancer

(YAKIMA) – Memorial Family of Services and Seattle public television station KCTS 9 are pleased to host a film screening of “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” on Tuesday, March 24, at The Seasons Performance Hall in Yakima.

This three-part, six-hour television miniseries, presented by preeminent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and directed by award-winning filmmaker Barak Goodman, is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.” The film shares the history of cancer – from the ancient Greeks who believed it to be a “black bile” in the body, to 1950s social norms that made cancer an unspoken topic, to the research and clinical trials being done today. The film also highlights the scientists who made cancer research their mission, as well as the personal stories of cancer survivors and caregivers.

A panel discussion and Q&A follows the 40-minute film screening. Participants include:

Vicky Jones, Medical Oncologist

Shawn Murphy, Cancer Survivor

Hector Torango, Cancer Survivor and Caregiver

Everyone is likely to be touched by cancer at some point – either to be diagnosed with it or to have a loved one touched by it. This event presents an opportunity to learn more about the film, which will be airing on KCTS 9 over three evenings – March 30, 31 and April 1 – as well as to learn from and participate in a discussion about cancer care from people who have experienced it firsthand.

This event is free and open to the public. Space is available first come, first serve. Registration is not required, but people are encouraged to RSVP at yakimamemorial.org/PBSevent.

For more information about the film and to see personal stories from the filmmakers, cancer researchers, cancer survivors and caregivers for loved ones who have had the disease, visit cancerfilms.org.

Dale and Dorothy Treusdell celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Monday, March 16, while receiving respite care at Cottage in the Meadow. Dale met Dorothy when he was home recovering from malaria – he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, including at Guadalcanal. They married on March 16, 1945 and have three children and four grandchildren.

Dale worked for several years for the U.S. Public Health Service, helping to establish guidelines for physicians assistant programs nationally and a hospice program for terminally ill seamen. Dale and Dorothy lived in four different states and Washington, D.C., before settling in Yakima in 1979.

Dale says home hospice care and Cottage have made a huge difference in his quality of life. “Cottage turned out to be our home away from home.”

Each customer who makes a donation to CMN Hospitals at participating Dairy Queen stores will receive one small, vanilla soft serve cone free on Monday, March 16.

DQ stores in Yakima, Cle Elum, Wapato, Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Walla Walla are participating.
In Central Washington, this money helps to support Children’s Village, which serves children with special health care needs. It also helps to support the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Unit at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital – your Children’s Miracle Network hospital for Central Washington.
For more information, visit dairyqueen.com or The Memorial Foundation’s website at memfound.org.

Looking for highly motivated, committed people who are excited to train and become educated in our Pharmacy Technician Training Program. This is a great opportunity to participate in a 6 MONTH UNPAID training opportunity (no tuition req.) Training starts in early June. Requires a full-time commitment, Monday – Friday. Must be 18+ years old and have your high school diploma or equivalent.

Find out why Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is a place where you would like to work!